Method of washing clothes



(3. M. GlBSON Dec. 19, 1967 METHOD OF WASHING CLOTHES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 21, 1963 INVENTOR: 6 60:96 M Ghsorz/ Dec. 19, 1967 G. M. GIBSON METHOD OF WASHING CLOTHES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 21. 1963 INVFNTOR: e M GLbSO/L Dec. 19, 1967 I s. M. GIBSON 3,358,303

METHOD 0F WASHING CLOTHES Original Filed March 21. 1963 5 Sheet -S eet 5 INVENTOR.

Gcogge Gibson Ma y United States Patent 3,358,303 lVIETHOD 0F WASHING CLOTHES George M. Gibson, G. M. Gibson C0rp., Bellevue, Iowa 52031 Original application Mar. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 267,887, now Patent No. 3,233,436, dated Feb. 8, 1966. Divided and this application Oct. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 492,603

14 Claims. (Cl. 8159) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE To provide a method of washing clothes with a unidirectional rotor centrally of the tub to impel wash water circumferentially and radially outwardly from the tub center across the bottom of the tub and to provide water deflection means at the tub bottom to redirect the initial rotary water action into a reversed rotary motion and angularly away from the tub bottom into the overhead tub water body and clothes to wash said clothes and to counteract and control any concerted water and clothes rotation in the tub caused by the rotor or its water discharge action.

This is a division of application Serial No. 267,887 filed March 21, 1963, and now Patent No. 3,233,436 dated February 8, 1966.

This invention relates to a fluid or wash Water generated method of washing various fabrics, garments or clothes and the like.

More specifically, the invention concerns a new and novel method developed for washing clothing in a body of water as in a domestic or commercial washing machine equipped with new and novel cooperative means provided for practicing the method herein disclosed and described.

This invention is to a method of washing clothes which is an improvement over the inventions fully described in my prior patents, No. 2,071,622 issued Feb. 23, 1937, and No. 2,478,188 issued Aug. 9, 1949.

The prior art practice relates to washing machines in general using unidirectional dashers actually in the form of rotors or fluid impellers which were made to occupy certain predetermined positions in relation to various wash tubs of special contour shapes. Actually the impellers used had inherent qualities that produced certain predetermined water currents in the tub water that caused the clothes to follow given paths of operation in relation to the position of the rotor or impeller in the tub. 7

As shown in Patent No. 2,478,188, the rotating impeller was mounted on the vertical or upright wall structures While the tubs were made in various external shapes to produce the washing results. None of the tub walls were deformed or shaped for direct cooperation with the rotor for the purpose of providing a washing method as in the present invention.

In Patent No. 2,071,622, the rotor agitator occupied an eccentric location in the tub and three high baflle plates were used in the upright tub area in the washing space for the purpose of retarding whirling of water and clothes next to the tub wall. The low height beads in the tub bottom of this patent only act to strengthen the tub bottom and serve no purpose as far as the washing cycle is concerned.

The present invention is directed to a washing method in a machine which eliminates the necessity of side wall mounting of the rotor agitator and provides a clear open washing tub free of baflies or other deflectors that are located in the clothes washing area of the machine. The new machine also provides a centrally located rotor agitator which by the use of the new cooperative means on the rotor and tub bottom wall opposes objectionable clothes load rotation within the open wash tub.

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide cooperative means on both an impeller or turbo rotor agitator and on the tub or clothes basket, as the case may be, to provide a method of washing which controls the clothes washing water action and the movement of the clothes, with the rotor occupying a position at the bottom of the tub or basket and with the cooperative means surrounding the rotor on the tub bottom between the rotor and tub wall or walls.

It is a further object to establish a washing method providing a wash water current control rotor in the midportion or axial center of a washing machine tub or basket for the symmetrical washing treatment of a complete load of clothing so as to avoid preferential and/or more cfficient treatment of the clothing in one portion of the machine tub or basket in contrast to some inferior washing action in certain other portions of such tub or basket.

A further object of the method of this invention is to provide coacting mechanisms located generally centrally of a tub or basket of a clothes washing machine wherein such mechanisms produce a washing action that will generate a water flow pattern to counteract any objectionable rotation of the clothes load about the tub or basket to lead to ineflicient clothes washing conditions due to this relatively inert but more or less bodily rotating action of the clothing and water in a tub.

Another object is to provide a method of washing clothes wherein a unidirectional agitator or rotor is employed to kinetically propel wash water in a given plane or into an annular ring zone of water discharge activity and to force the water into multiple pocket areas provided in a tub and in its bottom or in the bottom wall of a clothes basket carried wtihin a tub as the case may be all to qualify the washing action to meet certain conditions of operation and manipulation.

A still further object is to provide a washing method using a unidirectional agitator or rotor having an exterior surface contour with ledges and pockets having their limits ranging between given spaced horizontal planes and wherein a tub or basket bottom is also provided with annularly aligned troughs or pockets with ridge or ledge and bottom areas also disposed in spaced horizontal planes, at least adjacent the rotor, which respective spaced planes are substantially coplanar with the top and bottom horizontally arranged ledges and pocket bottom areas of the rotor. Thus the wash water transition from convoluted rotor impeller into the fixed tub convolutions provides and develops new washing action that imparts a radially vertical encircling motion to the clothes load within the various specified radial zones in the tub or basket while simultaneously holding such annular clothes load against objectionable horizontal rotation around the tub or basket because of the unidirectional agitator or rotor unit action in the machine.

Another object of the method of this invention is to be able to establish and confine, the washing apparatus of this clothes washing machine in or at the bottom of the tub or basket to control horizontal clothes rotation within the tub thereby making available the entire tub or basket compartment for the clothes load with the washing apparatus developing the washing cycle activity within the tub or basket water area by means of the new and novel mechanism of this invention.

Other objects and advantages of this invention shall hereinafter appear in or become evident from the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and disclosing the inventive concept involved.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a washing machine embodying the coacting elements of the present in- 3 vention that provide the new and novel washing method of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the washing machine illustrated in 'FIG. 1 and as it is substantially viewed in the plane of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a framentary vertical cross sectional view of another washing machine type embodying the same general washing mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified Washing machine to demonstrate certain other applications of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 5 is avertical cross sectional view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified washing machine arrangement with a pulsating rotor agitator;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view of another stationary vane Washer construction;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a detail section on line 99 in FIG. 8.

The general concept of the invention is well illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the washing method is efliciently developed by the provision of a unidirectional agitator or rotor 6 positioned in a sump or well 7 formed in the bottom wall 8 of a clothes washing tub 9.

The rotor 6 is adapted to be driven in either direction,

if desired, by a shaft 10 secured to the rotor, the shaft being rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing and gland structure 11 as seen in FIG. 2. Any suitable drive means may be employed to spin or drive the rotor 6. FIG. 2 illustrates a motor 12 for this purpose which has a drive pulley 13 to drive a belt 14 which connects with another pulley such as 15 secured to shaft 10 to complete the drive mechanism for revolving the rotor impeller 6 to operate the washing machine. The rotor 6 is made with a specified external contour having ridges or ledges 16 all terminating or lying in a common elevated plane 16a and these elements are separated by troughs or pockets 17 that have their bottom portions all terminating in another lower common plane 17a spaced vertically below the plane 16a of the ledges as best seen in FIG- 2.

For the designed purpose of coacting edgewise with the rotor 6 to absorb so to speak the radial and tangential wash water discharge from the rotor, the. tub bottom 8 is made into a rosette design as. in FIG. 1 providing radially positioned individual troughs such as 18' surrounding the sump or well 7 and rotor periphery.

The entrance months 19 of the troughs 18 are at the level of the rotor 6 while the troughs radiate outwardly from the rotor sloping upwardly and outwardly in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 2. Thetrough depths are such that the ridges or ledges 20' are vertically spaced above the trough bottoms 21 substantially an amount equal to the vertical thickness of the rotor'impeller means. And as stated before, the entrance or mouth areas 19 of the troughs or pockets 18 are radially disposed in line to receive the wash water discharged from the peripheral portion of the rotor to redirect and disperse this constant supply of wash water flow simultaneously radially outwardly and upwardly along the trough paths and also vertically outwardly thereof into the wash water of the machine tub 1.

As the rotor 6 revolves counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1, the wash Water is impelled both centrifugally' and tangentially outwardly from. the spinning wheel or rotor and into the entrance areas 19 of the pockets or troughs with the pressurized water taking a path as shown by arrows 23. This action builds up pressure in. the area along the sides 24 of the troughs 18 and tends to create a suction area in the lee areas 25 of the troughs 18. Since the pressure water flow zones of the rotor water emerge radially and upwardly from the pressure sides 24 of troughs 18, individual quantities of propelled water flow out of the troughs in radially upwardly streams in the tub water and through and into the clothes to stem any concerted objectionable bodily rotation of the clothes load within the tub adjacent to or above the tub bottom area of the Wash water activity. Simultaneously, the water ejected secondarily from the troughs will also follow in the radial arrow pattern indicated by the arrows 26 and 27 in FIG. 2. The arrows 26 and 27 also show the water flow return in the tub water toward the location of the rotor 6 for recirculation by the rotor toward the rosette troughs and for further washing action by said troughs 18 as described.

As best understood, the clothes are agitated by the water action described which results froma fast revolving rotor impeller that fans the wash water out radially and tangentially by the pocket design of the rotor and by its rotation. This expelled or impelled wash water enters the multipocket rosette cavities at the bottom of the tub for partial redirection into the tub water around the pocket cavities and for upward deflection from the pocket cavity terminal ends and sides. This establishes a circumferential retroactive wash water fiow radially and in vertical planes or areas as shown by the arrows 26 and 27 in FIG. 2 to work on the clothes load and to counteract tub encirclement of the clothes while moving the clothes continuously up and down. It is further indicated that any clothing that does find its way horizontally about the tub will be activated in a vertical direction as a trough area is encountered so that each trough has its own individual upward Water action to work the clothing even though the prime water action element is generated from the fast rotating rotor providing the initial wash water impeller action.

FIG. 3 illustrates the same Washing action and pattern in a modified type of a garment or clothes washing machine. In this arrangement, the construction comprises a wash water tub 30 provided with a suitable gland and bearing assembly 31 to accommodate a drive shaft or sleeve 32 that supports a washing basket 33 and acts to control the motion of this basket according tocertain operative washing functions. A second shaft 34 is made to connect with and drive a rotor 35 located in a sump or well 36 in the bottom wall 37 of the basket 33.

The rotor has ledges 38 and pockets 39 fashioned after the rotor in FIG. 1. The basket includes the rosette arrangement of radially located pockets 40 as in the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The general washing action of this machine follows that of the described single tub machine with the exception that FIG. 3 provides an intermediate basket or auxiliary clothes holder or container to keep the cloths submerged in a water filled outer tub arrangement.

The construction in FIG. 4 comprises an outer tub- 41 with an inner clothes basket 42 and the latter is provided with generally quarter-moon-shaped pockets 43 in the basket bottom 44 and spaced symmetrically therea-bout. The pockets are defined in the bottom 44 by means of barrier ledges or ridges 46 that form ribs providing division means generally radially of the machine and with respect to the rotor assembly 48. The rotor 48in this form of the invention is provided with pockets 49 having division walls or barrier ridges 50 with more or less vertical walls at the tip portions of the ridges 50 and sloping blending intermediate contour walls 50a joining the ridges 50. The rotor 48 and stationary curved pockets coact to provide a simulated water turbine action in the basket or tub.

The curvature of each depression or pocket 43 reverses. with respect to the pocket portion adjacent the rotor and in the approximate plane of the rotor so as to accept the radial and tangential water current discharge from the rotor 48 into the tangential part of the pockets 43. After water is forced tangentially over the tub or basket bottom and directly into the middle curvature areas of the pockets 43, the direction of the water is turned radially outwardly and finally the water leaves the reversed curvature of the wall ends of the pockets 43.

This redirection of the water in the pockets 43 penetrates the tub water and clothes in a direction that is opposite with respect to the rotation of the rotor 48 and counteracts objectionable clothes load circulation along the tub walls in the same direction as the rotor rotates. In the water motion through pockets 43, the water will build up a pressure at the counterclockwise wall sections 43:: of the pockets 43 and less pressure will be present at the clockwise suction side pocket wall sections 43b. This, as in FIG. 1, will further cause a reverse water projection upwardly into the overhead tub water and the clothes in a clockwise manner above the individual radial tub zones lying above the respective pockets 43 to augment the whole washing action and to counteract counterclockwise clothes rotation in the tub or basket.

This action in the tub coupled with the clothes rubbing action and water activity of a kinetic rotor plus the stationary field of pockets and ridges or ledges surrounding the rotor all act to promote a highly efiicient washing apparatus accompanied with very little wear of the normal clothes load in the machines of the character shown in FIG. 4 and in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The bottom 45 of the basket 42 in FIG. 4 is dished downwardly toward the sump area as are the bottoms in the machines illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. This dished structure provides an added upward deflection of rotor impelled water toward and along the upright walls of the tub. However, a generally horizontally disposed rotor and cooperative rosette pocketed bottom of a tub or basket fully establishes the washing action and operation herein described.

FIG. 6 again provides a tub and basket combination 51 and 52 with a rosette bottom design in the bottom wall 53 of the basket comprising pockets 54 and dividers or barriers 55. With this design, a rotor 56 is employed which could also be used in the other structures already described.

The rotor 56 provides a pulsating water action radially thereof by reason of thelgrouped pockets 57 located in a portion of the circumference of the rotor 56 being used in combination with a large ledge or barrier section 58. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the grouped pocket section occupies about 180 degrees of the rotor facial and edge contour with edge discharge mouths as at 59, while the larger "area or barrier section 58 approximately occupies the other 180 degrees of the rotor unit.

The rotor revolves on shaft 60 and in the sump or well 61 to intermittently drive wash water under definite rotary pulsations into the receiving mouths 62 of the pockets 54 creating a somewhat different timed water action in contrast tothe equally spaced cavities or pockets of the rotors hereinbefore described. The washing action of the machine in FIG. 6 follows the actions of the other machines except that a more pronounced pulsative action is attained and transmitted to the water motion.

In the construction illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, the washer comprises a tub 65 with a bottom 66 extending from the upright tub Walls 67 toward a central tub sump or well 68 as best seen in FIG. 7.

A rotary agitator 69 is positioned in the sump for rotation by a drive shaft 70 journalled in a bearing-gland assembly 71 carried by the sump portion of the tub bottom. A'plurality of independent vane members 72 are individually secured to the annular tub bottom 66 to project'upwardly'therefrom into the washing space and to establish a plurality of trough and channel areas 73 therebetween. The vane members 72 are shaped and arranged to receive current discharged rotor agitator impelled water therebet'ween for redirection as in the other forms of the invention and also for upward deflection from between adjacent vanes similarly to the water action attained by driving or impelling the rotor water into the trough or channel elements shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6.

With this raised separate vane construction, the rotor ejector or impelled wash water will place a pressure flow along the general areas 74 in the channels between the vanes 72 and at the concave curvature portions of such vanes when viewed from the top. The water flow at the lee side of the vanes 72 along the areas 75 in the channel and at the convex peripheries of the vanes will not have the same forced water flow due to eddies and to the shapes of the vanes, their locations, and by reason of the direction of discharge of the water outwardly from the rotor or agitator 69.

The foregoing description relates to several preferred forms of the invention to illustrate the concept of this invention and the washing method developed by the apparatus herein disclosed. It is contemplated that certain variations may be possible in the combination of elements or in the elements per se without departing from the fundamental concept of this invention. The extent of such modifications shall, however, be governed by the breadth and scope of the language in the following claimed subject matter directed to the method and apparatus for washing fabrics according to the present invention.

What I claim is:

1. A method of washing clothes by providing a body of fluid in a tub for the clothes, which comprises generating a forceful fluid expanding motion to rotate the fluid in one direction in one plane of action across the tub fluid body to cause the fluid to follow a given continuous expanding path of rotational action and simultaneously diverting said fluid into a reversed rotational direction motion from the aforesaid given path of action in said one plane while causing said reversed rotary fluid to leave said one plane of action to expand into the body of fluid and into the clothes in said fluid of the tub to counteract continuous clothes rotation in said one plane.

2. A method of Washing articles by providing a body of fluid in a tub carrying the clothes, which comprises rotating and forcefully radiating the fluid in a given plane of action in the fluid contents of the tub, then intercepting said rotationally radiating fluid for continued motion in an opposite rotary direction in said same plane of action while simultaneously diverting said same reversed fluid angularly out of the same plane of action and into the adjacent fluid body from said initial forceful radiated fluid action area and toward the clothes in said tub disposed adjacent said given' plane of rotary fluid action to control clothes rotation about said tub.

3. A method of washing articles by providing a body of fluid in a receptacle for said articles, which comprises imparting rotary motion to a portion of said fluid in one direction in a given area in the fluid contents of the receptacle, channeling said fluid radially from its rotative motion, diverting the same fluid out of the channel areas of motion into the body of receptacle fluid and into the articles therein, and diverting said fluid in a reverse direction to oppose bodily rotation of the receptacle contents in the direction of said initial rotary motion of said fluid.

4. A method of washing clothes by providing a body of Water in a washing machine tub for saidclothes, which comprises developing kinetic radially expanding water motion in one circular direction in a given portion of the water in said tub to follow a tangential expanding flow about a given area, providing fixed means for intercepting said expanding circular Water flow to change the expanding Water flow pattern thereof into different expanding radial areas in an opposite circular direction, and simultaneously diverting the same reversed circular water flow angularly out of the secondary area of the kinetic radial water flow expansion action into the adjacent remaining body of tub water.

5. A method of washing clothes confined in a body of water in a Washing machine tub, which comprises generating a whirling expanding water flow action in one rotary motion adjacent the bottom region of the tub water and adjacent the tub bottom, channeling the expanding rotary Water flow across the tub bottom into curved radial pathways acting to reverse the rotary motion of the water flow in the same tub bottom region of action surrounding said initial water flow action while diverting said reversed channeled flow of water out of its original bottom region of the tub water into the overhead body of water in said tub.

6. A method of washing clothes confined in a body of water inv a washing machine tub, which comprises generating a continuous rotary expanding flow of water from the central axis of said tub and in a given horizontal area thereover, receiving and reversing the expanding rotary water flow in the tub in multiple radial channels surrounding the horizontal area of action of the initial water fiow generation and simultaneously deflecting the radially channeled reversed water flow upwardly out of the horizontal reference area of action and in multiple streams into the upright area of the body of water in the washing machine tub.

7. A method of washing clothes which comprises providing an unobstructed walled wash tub containing a static body of wash water to a selected depth therein and above the bottom of said tub, supplying clothes to said water and providing water current generation means centrally of the bottom region of said tub to develop an expanding water flow pattern directed circumferentially around the tub bottom region toward the surrounding tub wall, providing means to intercept and to reverse the circumferential water flow and to redirect such expanding reversed water flow between the central area of water current generation and the tub wall to cause upwardly diverted reversed water currents to engage the clothes in said water body to move the clothes upwardly in the tub, said water flow expanding means functioning to funnel wash water out of the overhead body of water toward the tub bottom region moving clothes therewith whereby pieces of clothing are circulated in radial upright portions of the body of wash water during machine operation.

8. A method of washing clothes which comprises providing an unobstructed walled wash tub containing a static body of wash water to a selected depth therein and above the bottom of said tub, supplying clothes to said water and providing water current generation means centrally of the bottom region of said tub to develop an expanding Water fiow pattern in a given area across the tub bottom region toward the walls of the tub, providing means to intercept and' to redirect such expanding water fl'ow between the area of water current generation and the tub walls to cause upwardly diverted water currents to engage the clothes in said water body to move the clothes upwardly annularly in the tub, said water flow expanding means functioning to funnel wash water out of the overhead body of water toward the tub bottom moving clothes therewith whereby pieces of clothing are circulated in radial upright portions of the body of wash water during machine operation, said expanding water flow pattern being directed in one continuous circular motion to expand from the central area of said tub toward the Walls thereof and wherein said water intercepting means causes redirection of said circularly expanding water flow in a direction opposite to the initial circular motion of the Water and causes deflection of such water upwardly from the tub-bottom in annular radial areas of said tub.

9. A method of washing clothes which comprises providing an open unobstructed tub containing a body of wash water and clothes, developing forceful water currents from a given area of the tub bottom and causing said water currents to rotate and to expand radially outwardly across the tub bottom, diverting said rotating expanding water currents to rotate and to expand radially outwardly currents at the tub bottom and directing said currents radially upwardly from the tub bottom in the annular space about the tub and redirecting such currents toward the tub center at the upper portion of the body of wash water by tunneling wash water downwardly centrally of the tub toward the water current generation zone to continually repeat the aforesaid cycling water flow process currents toward the tub center at the upper portion of the body of wash water by funneling wash water down- Wardly centrally of the tub toward the water current generation zone to continually repeat the aforesaid cycling water flow process, said radially expanding water flow generation pattern being circularly and annularly directed in one general direction about the tub bottom and wherein the upwardly directed water flow currents are made to assume a flow in an opposite direction in relation to the circular direction of How of the initial water flow generating pattern. 11. A method of washing clothes which comprises providing an open unobstructed tub containing a body of Wash water and clothes, developing forceful'water currents from a given area of the tub bottom and causing said water currents to expand radially outwardly across the tub bottom, diverting said expanding water currents into a plurality of radial upwardly directed water flow currents in the annular space about the tub and redirecting such currents toward the tub center at the upper portion of the body of wash water by tunneling wash water downwardly centrally of the tub toward the water current generation zone to continually repeat the aforesaid cycling water flow process, with the added step of retarding the speed of movement of the clothes in their path of travel across the tub bottom in relation to the velocity of motion of the forceful water currents moving across the tub bottom.

12. A method of washing clothes which comprises providing a container having a body of wash water therein to hold the clothing to be washed, generatingrotary water currents to expand circumferentially and radially from a given zone over and along a wall of said container to cause clothing to radiate from said given Zone with said rotationally expanding water flow, then directing said rotating wash water to move in a reversed rotationalpat tern and to move angularly away from said container wall under reversed rotation and into the body of water carrying clothing therewith, and continually supplying, wash water to said water current generating. zone by funneling wash water out of said water body from the portion thereof located in the container opposite with respect to the generation zone to carrying clothing in radially circulating paths and angularly to said one container wall away from the generating zone to a remote zoneand back over the generating zone and toward said zone for continuous recirculation. v

13. A method of washing clothes whichcomprises providing a container having a body of wash water therein to hold the clothing to be washed, generating forceful water currents to expand circumferentially and radially froma given zone over and along a wall of said container to cause clothing to radiate from said given. zone with said expanding water flow, then directing wash. water to move away from said container wall into the body of water carrying clothing therewith, and continually supplying wash water to said water current generating zone: by funneling wash water out of said water body from the portion thereof' located in the container opposite with respect to the generation zone to carrying clothing in radially circulating paths from said one container wall away from the generating zone to a remote zone and back over the generating zone and toward said'zone forcontin'uou's recirculation, and causing said forcefully generated water currents to move circularly and spirally about said one wall in one direction of revolution and causing said water to be directed away from said one wall to assume a direction generally opposite in revolution with respect to the direction of rotation of said generated water currents.

14. A method of washing clothes which comprises proviidng a container having a body of wash Water therein to hold the clothing to be washed, generating forceful water currents to expand circumferentially and radially from a given zone over and along a wall of said container to cause clothing to radiate from said given zone with said expanding water flow, then directing wash water to move away from said container wall into the body of water carrying clothing therewith, and continually supplying wash water to said water current generating zone by funneling wash water out of said water body from the portion thereof located in the container opposite with respect to the generation zone to carrying clothing in radially circulating paths from said one container wall away from the generating zone to a remote zone and back over References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,939 1/1931 Geldhof 68-133 1,897,239 2/1933 Chapman 68133 2,157,695 5/1939 Fulton 68-484- 2,660,0'45 11/1953 Bretter 68-53 2,767,569 10/1956 Conlee 68184 X IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,358,303 December 19, 1967 George M. Gibson d that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certifie 9 said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and that th corrected below.

Column 7 line 70, for "water currents to rotate and to expand radially outwardly" read water currents into a plurality of oppositely rotating water Signed and sealed this 14th day of January 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

1. A METHOD OF WASHING CLOTHES BY PROVIDING A BODY OF FLUID IN A TUB FOR THE CLOTHES, WHICH COMPRISES GENERATING A FORCEFUL FLUID EXPANDING MOTION TO ROTATE THE FLUID IN ONE DIRECTION IN ONE PLANE OF ACTION ACROSS THE TUB FLUID BODY TO CAUSE THE FLUID TO FOLLOW A GIVEN CONTINUOUS EXPANDING PATH OF ROTATIONAL ACTION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DIVERTING SAID FLUID INTO A REVERSED ROTATIONAL DIRECTION MOTION FROM THE AFORESAID GIVEN PATH OF ACTION IN SAID ONE PLANE WHILE CAUSING SAID REVERSED ROTARY FLUID TO LEAVE SAID ONE PLANE OF ACTION TO EXPAND INTO THE BODY OF FLUID AND INTO THE CLOTHES IN SAID FLUID OF THE TUB TO COUNTERACT CONTINUOUS CLOTHES ROTATION IN SAID ONE PLANE. 